Conventionally, there is a technology for performing communication between devices by use of near field communication such as NFC. By near field communication, communication between an information processing device and a storage device (so-called tag) starts in response to the storage device approaching the information processing device.
Conventionally, a storage device that is communicable with an information processing device by near field communication is merely used in a specific application program executed by the information processing device, and there has been room for improvement regarding the versatility of such a storage device.
Accordingly, this application discloses an information processing system, an information processing device, a storage medium storing an information processing program, and an information processing method, with which a storage device is usable in a more versatile manner, and such a storage device.
(1)
An example of information processing system described in this specification is an information processing system including a storage device; and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage device.
The storage device includes a storage unit storing application data usable in a predetermined application program and shared data usable in an application program regardless of whether or not the application program is the predetermined application program.
The information processing system includes an acceptance unit, a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The acceptance unit accepts an instruction regarding data read and/or data write from/to the storage unit from an application program to be executed by the information processing device. In the case where the accepted instruction is regarding the application data, under the condition that the instruction is from the predetermined application program, the first processing unit transfers the application data read from the storage unit to the predetermined application program. In the case where the accepted instruction is regarding the shared data, the second processing unit transfers the shared data read from the storage unit to the application program that issued the instruction regardless of whether or not the instruction is from the predetermined application program.
(2)
The storage unit may store identification information that is set for each of types of storage devices. The predetermined application program may include identification information that is set for a type of storage device which stores the application data usable in the predetermined application program. The first processing unit may determine whether or not the accepted instruction is from the predetermined application program based on the identification information read from the storage unit and identification information acquired from the application program that issued the instruction.
(3)
The storage unit may store identification information specifying at least one type of predetermined application program which can use the application data. The acceptance unit may accept, from the application program, the identification information corresponding to the application program that issued the instruction. The first processing unit may determine whether or not the accepted instruction is from the predetermined application program based on the identification information stored on the storage unit and the identification information acquired from the application program that issued the instruction.
(4)
The storage unit may store application data encrypted by a method which allows the encrypted data to be decrypted by the first processing unit and shared data encrypted by a method which allows the encrypted data to be decrypted by the second processing unit.
(5)
The storage device may have an external appearance representing, three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, an object which appears in a virtual space generated by execution of the predetermined application program and which is represented by the application data and/or the shared data.
(6)
The storage unit may store, as the shared data, at least one type of data among identification information on the object, identification information on a group to which the object belongs, identification information specific to each of storage devices, and identification information representing the type of the storage device.
(7)
The information processing device may include a determination unit for, when near field communication is made possible between the information processing device and a storage device, determining whether or not the storage device is a permitted storage device, an access to which by the information processing device is permitted. In the case where it is determined that the storage device with which the near field communication is made possible for the information processing device is a permitted storage device, the acceptance unit may execute a process in conformity to the instruction from the application program to be executed by the information processing device.
(8)
The storage device may store at least a part of the shared data in a read-only area from which data can be read but to which data cannot be written, and may store the application data in a read/write area from which data can be read and to which data can be written.
(9)
The application data may be saved data of the predetermined application program.
(10)
Another example of information processing system described in this specification is an information processing system including a storage device; and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage device.
The storage device includes a storage unit storing shared data which is on an object appearing in a predetermined application program and which is usable in an application program regardless of whether or not the application program is the predetermined application program.
The information processing device includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The first processing unit executes a first process of, for executing the predetermined application program, outputting information on the object to an output device by use of the shared data read from the storage unit. The second processing unit executes a second process of, for executing an application program different from the predetermined application program, outputting information on the object to the output device by use of the shared data read from the storage unit, the second process being different from the first process.
(11)
The information processing device may further include a determination unit and a permission unit. When near field communication is made possible between the information processing device and a storage device, the determination unit determines whether or not the storage device is a permitted storage device, an access to which by an application program to be executed by the information processing device is permitted. Under the condition that the storage device with which the near field communication is made possible for the information processing device is a permitted storage device, the permission unit permits the shared data to be used in the application program to be executed by the information processing device.
(12)
The first processing unit may execute a process of displaying the object on a display device as the first process. The second processing unit may execute, as the second process, a process of displaying the object on the display device, the process being different from the first process.
(13)
The second processing unit may execute, as the second process, a process of displaying the object in a different display manner from the display manner in which the object is displayed in the first process.
(14)
When executing a game application program different from the predetermined application program, the second processing unit may execute, as the second process, a process that does not influence progress of the game.
(15)
The storage device may have an external appearance representing, three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, an object represented by the shared data.
(16)
The storage device may store a hash value on a part of, or the entirety of, the data stored thereon. The determination unit may determine whether or not the storage device is a permitted storage device based on a hash value calculated from data read from the storage device and the hash value read from the storage device.
(17)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification is an information processing system including a storage device; and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage device.
The storage device has an external appearance representing, three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, an object that appears in a virtual space generated by execution of a predetermined application program by the information processing device. The storage device stores first identification information on the object and second identification information on a group to which the object belongs.
The information processing device executes a predetermined process by use of the first identification information read from the storage device and executes the predetermined process by use of the second identification information read from the storage device.
(18)
The information processing device may include a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and a processing execution unit. The first determination unit determines, while executing an application program, whether or not the first identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed. The second determination unit determines whether or not the second identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed. In the case where at least one of the first identification information and the second identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed, the processing execution unit executes the predetermined process in the application program.
(19)
The predetermined process may be a process on the object.
In the case where the first identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed, the processing execution means may specify the object by use of the first identification information. In the case where the first identification information read from the storage device does not represent a value registered in the application program that is being executed and the second identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed, the processing execution means may specify the object by use of the second identification information.
This specification discloses an example of the information processing device or storage device included in the information processing system according to (1) through (19), and also disclose an example of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an information processing program which causes a computer of the information processing device to function as each of units of the information processing device. This specification discloses an example of information processing method executable by the information processing system.
According to an information processing system, an information processing device, a storage medium storing an information processing program, an information processing method and a storage device described above, the storage device performing near field communication can be used in a more versatile manner.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.